Means and method of neutralizing insect and plant poisons



Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE DE WIT! GRAVES, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE Imus m amnion or nnu'rmrzmo msnc'r am) rmmr POISONS No Drawing.

This invention relates to pharmaceutical preparations and more particularl to preparations for use in neutralizing t e poisons resulting from insect stings and from contact with various poisonous plants. It also relates to a method of effecting such neutralization which involves the use of various organic bases, either alone or in the form of liniments or ointments.

It is well known that the disagreeable and often painful elfects of the stings of certain insects, such as mosquitos, bees, flies, and ants, as well as the poisonous effects of contact with such plants as poison ivy, nettles, etc., are caused by the presence in the affected part of certain acidic irritants. The substances which have heretofore been employed for neutralizing these irritating polsons were inorganic alkaline materials, such as sodium carbonate and bicarbonate, ammonia, and various kinds of soaps. These remedies have not generally proved satisfactory, either because of their tendency to produce irritation of the afi'ected part, or because of inconvenient physical properties which make their use diflicult or unpleasant.

This invention has as an object to provide a convenient and efl'ective method for neutralizing insect and plant poisons.

Another object is to provide a method of treatment in which an antiseptic and antidotal compound which is readily soluble in water and alcohol is employed.

A still further object is to provide a method involving the use of an ointment in which both the active principle and the vehicle or medium in which it is carried are soluble both in water and alcohol. 1.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

40 I have discovered that the organic bases may be very-efiectively used to neutralize the acid irritants above referred to. The above objects are therefore accomplished by the following invention which comprises the compounding of a wateror alcohol-soluble organic base, or bases, with either a liquid or solid medium to form an emollient preparation and its application to the affected part,

or by the direct application of these .bases without the addition of other materials.

1 Application fi led; September 13, 1929. Serial No. 391L483.

The following examples of my antiseptic and antidotal compositmn are inserted merely for purposes of illustration and are not to be regarded in any sense as a limitation;

In the case of liniments I may make up an aqueous or alcoholic solution of any one or a number of the organic bases, such as cyclohexylamine, cyclohexylamine carbonate, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, cyclohexylethanolamine, etc., as follows:

,Eammple .lr- A 25% aqueous solution of triethanolamine.

Ewa/mple 2.--A 10% aqueous solution of triethanolamine.

Ewwmple 3.A 75% aqueous solution of commercial triethanolamine.

Example 4.-A 25% solution of commercial triethanolamine in ethyl alcohol.

Example 5.A 10% aqueous solution of cyclohexylamine carbonate.

Example 6.-A 25% solution of cyclohexylamine in ethyl alcohol. I

Emample 7.-A 10% aqueous solution of cyclohexylamine.

Ewample 8.A 10% alcoholic solution of cyclohexylethanolamine.

Ointments with very desirable properties can be prepared by combining organic amines with high molecular weight organic acids to form salts analogous to those formed bythe interaction of the inorganic bases with or-' ganic acids. Examples are as follows:

Ewample 9.2 parts by weight of stearic acid are mixed with 1 part by weight of triethanolamine and 4 parts by weight of water.

This forms an ointment of satisfactory consistency which is soluble in water and therefore can easily be removed from skin or clothing. Other ointment compositions are as follows:

Example 10.-2parts by weight of oleic.

to which is added 1 part ofzinc stearate;

Example 12.1 part of stearic acid with 1' part of triethanolamine.

Emple 13.1 art of stearic acid with 2 parts of triethano amine;

Example 14.--1 part of stearic acid with 2 parts of triethanolamine and 1 part of zinc oxide.

Example 15.2 parts of stearic acid with 1 partof triethanolamine and 1 part of water;

Ewa'mple 16'.2 parts of stearic acid wit-h 1 aft of triethanolamine and 1 part of alco 0 v Example 17.1 part of stearic acidwith 1 part of cyclohexylamine.

In making-up the liniments illustrated in the above examples, I prefer to use distilled water, but I may use other than distilled water provided it is sterile and contains no harmful substances or compounds which would react chemically with the organic bases and neutralize their effect.

. I may use either-a sin le organic base, such as triethanolamine, or may use a solution of several different bases. While it is con- .lution of triethanolamine,

2. An emollient for insect stings and plant poisons comprising an ointment containin the reaction product of triethanolami'ne an stearic acid.

3. An emollient for insect stings and plant poisons which com rises an ethanolamine.

4. An emollient or insect stings and plant poisons which comprises triethanolamine.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

GEORGE DE WITT GRAVES.

venient to em loy either water or alcoholalone as the so vent for the base, I may also use a mixed solvent comprising alcohol and water, etc. Again, in making up either the ointments or liniments of my invention I may add small amounts of perfumed materials or antiseptic agents, such as phenol or salicylic acid, hexylresorcinol, or guaiacol carbonate. Although I prefer to apply the bases in the form of a liniment or ointment, I may appl any one or a plurality of these bases to the a fected part dlrectly. However, I have found that full strength is not necessary in order to effectively neutralize the poisons usually present in such conditions.

It will be ap arent that method of treatment, and t e emollients used therein have man advantages, among which may be mention the followin The organic composit1ons,'of which several examples have been given above, are superior to the remedies heretofore employed since they have no irritating action whatever on the afiected part. They also possess no inconvenient physical properties and have the further advantage of possessing an inherent antiseptic power in themselves. One of the greatest advanta fact that they are rea ily absorbedsby the of'their use is the skin, thus permitting intimate contact beeompositions' being soluble bodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific. embodiments 

